Issue Briefs

Holding Environments and Public Problem-Solving

Publication Date: December 12, 2023

Problem-solving spaces are everywhere. Whether in a hospital operating room, on a construction site, or in an academic department meeting, groups and teams convene to ensure problems are managed and reliable services are delivered. The problems...

A User-Centered Design Process for Data-Driven Policymaking

Publication Date: August 22, 2023

Well-conceived, user-friendly data visualizations have the potential to bring fresh perspectives derived from analyzing, visualizing, and presenting data to inform evidence-based policymaking. This case uses the Metroverse project from the...

Briefing Sheet: “Be SURE” You Are Prepared to Negotiate WELL

Publication Date: May 6, 2022

This briefing sheet reviews a four-step “Be SURE” negotiation preparation framework. It was developed to complement educational and resource materials accessible through the HKS SLATE Negotiate WELL (Work, Education, Life, and...

Architect, Pilot, Scale, Improve: A Framework and Toolkit for Policy Implementation

Publication Date: May 12, 2021

Successful implementation is essential for achieving policymakers’ goals and must be considered during both design and delivery. The mission of this monograph is to provide you with a framework and set of tools to achieve success. The...

Self-Advocating in Early Career

Publication Date: March 8, 2021

Many people early in their careers find self-advocacy awkward or may even perceive it as impossible. They don’t know what is reasonable for them to request or propose, they are unsure how to go about it, who their...

Briefing Sheet on Common Biases in Group Decision Making

Publication Date: June 18, 2019

Democratic institutions and other important decision-making processes in society have long been designed around the assumption that groups are better at making important decisions than are individuals. But, there is extensive research indicating...

Strategic Alignment for Policy Analysis and Design

Publication Date: March 9, 2017

A successful policy has three characteristics. It promises to produce net public value. It is operationally feasible—that is, the resources (financial, legal, technical, personnel, managerial) necessary to bring it about are available or...

Marketing - A Tool to Create Public Value

Publication Date: April 2, 2015

This note provides an overview of the elements of marketing strategy, and explains how they can be applied in the public and not-for-profit sectors. Elements necessary for a successful marketing strategy (segmentation, pricing (including price...